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Marine Protected Areas: Fishing Vessels

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN HL135, tabled on 18 July 2024

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ban bottom trawl fishing in marine protected areas; and if so, when.

Answered on

30 July 2024

It is essential to manage bottom trawling in our Marine Protected Areas appropriately due to the significant damage it can have on protected seabed habitats. Fisheries regulators make detailed assessments of the impact of all fishing activities on the protected species and habitats in our Marine Protected Areas and develop byelaws to restrict fishing when it has been assessed as damaging. 60% of England’s MPAs have bottom trawling restrictions already. This is something that will be getting early attention as we consider next steps in the context of our domestic and international nature conservation obligations and how we support the fishing sector.